acute effects of combined high intensity interval training and step aerobics training on agility in male futsal athletes during the pre-season

Background: high-intensity interval training (hiit) is highly effective and efficient in improving skill-related components in athletes. however, the effects of combined hiit and step aerobics (sa) exercises have been scarcely studied in futsal players. objectives: this study aimed to investigate the effects of a 4-week high-intensity interval training with sa training (hiitsa) program on agility parameters during the pre-season in fifteen professional futsal players from the first division of thailand, aged 18 to 22 years. methods: participants were enrolled and assessed for body height, body weight, fat mass, fat-free mass, leg muscle mass, body mass index (bmi), and futsal-specific change of direction speed (cods) and reactive agility (rag) tests to determine agility. each hiitsa training session consisted of seven exercises performed with rhythmic music and bench steps at a height of 6 inches. the hiitsa protocol set exercise intensity at 20 seconds at 90% of maximum heart rate (hrmax), interspersed with 10-second recovery periods at 60% hrmax, performed three times per week over a 4-week period. pre- and post-training assessments of changes in physiological variables were conducted. results: the agility results showed a significant improvement in the hiitsa group following the training program (p ≤ 0.05). conclusions: twelve hiitsa sessions over 4 weeks were effective in improving the fitness levels of futsal players, contributing to improved performance in agility.